Creating Build Instructions With Required Parts per Step

[Toadtorrent]

Hi,

I'm a Noob LDD, LDraw and MLCad user and perhaps this is my problem.

I have followed tutorials on LDraw.org and holly-wood.it and the steps required to create truly professional looking instructions does not seem to be detailed.

MLCad can create ok images using the Steps command, and these can be further enhanced using Helper images as in the following:

My House MOC in Question

I can't figure out how to get pop-up window showing the required parts for each step as found in Holly-Wood.it instructions or Jurgen's Technic Corner instructions pictured below:

I also can't figure out how to generate a parts list like Jurgens listed below either:

I tried looking through pinned topics and using the Search function but have come up dry on a solution.

Can anyone please help????

Do these images have to be created manually in a photo-editing program (EXTREMELY TEDIOUS), or do I have to use separate software?

Edited July 4, 2011 by Toadtorrent

[Vincent Kessels]

You can create building building instructions with LPub 4 (see LDraw.org - General Utilities).

You will need an ldraw file with steps to create building instructions with LPub. In LPub you then combine the steps in pages, with part lists and callouts, and and at the end you can add a bill-of-material. Almost everything (e.g. fonts, size, colors) is configurable. The output is an pdf file or an image per page, and an ldraw file with additional LPub instructions.

Unfortunatly there is not much documentation, so start playing around with a simple model.

[DLuders]

On his website, French AFOL Nico71 has some good tips on "How to Create a Building Instruction." He has some written tips on that website, plus this 24-minute

:

[Toadtorrent]

...French AFOL Nico71 has some good tips on "How to Create a Building Instruction."

Just watched and read...didn't realize there was such a HUGE difference between LPub version v2.x and v4.x.

I had trouble with the download of the most recent version as it seemed to be missing a required DLL...but went one version back and that installed fine.

Thanks for the reference.

I couldn't get Youtube videos at work, so was unable to see this reference before.

Brick on!

[Philo]

Unfortunatly there is not much documentation, so start playing around with a simple model.

There is a pretty good one here: https://sites.google.com/site/workingwithlpub/

[Superkalle]

In LDD, pictures of the parts needed for each step is included automatically when you chose View > Building Guide Mode > Generate HTML.

Unfortunately, the generated HTML guide is pretty ugly, and the bricks per build steps can also sometimes be too many, or not show enough details.

What I do is the following (for LDD):

1. Generated a Building Guide (View > Building Guide Mode)

2. Step through the model (using either arrow keys => one brick at a time, or Page Down => three bricks at a time.

3. Press Ctrl-K for each step that you like. An image is created.

4. Create a word document with one or more columns.

5. Drag and drop all the images. They will automatically get the right width.

6. Add headings, and format those to only show heading number (1, 2, 3 etc).

That will create the base for you.

Then you can add some arrow to show that the user much turn the model, have cleariying images of parts needed etc. Naturally some manual work, but I do it all in Word, and it's fast. Adding stickers or graphics I do in Corel PHOTO-paint (much better then Photoshop IMHO)

Here are some samples.

[Vincent Kessels]

Unfortunately, the generated HTML guide is pretty ugly, and the bricks per build steps can also sometimes be to many, or not show enough details.

Or, worse, creates a building instruction starting from the top down. This makes the instructions useless. And, for me, that happens more often then not.

BTW, nice instructions superkalle.

[Superkalle]

Or, worse, creates a building instruction starting from the top down. This makes the instructions useless. And, for me, that happens more often then not.

Yeah, I agree. What I usually do is to remove all "snotted" assemblies, so I just get the "skeleton". Then I generate instructions, and they generally turn out good. Then I do the snotted assemblies separate and assemble the whole thing in the end. It's some work, but it gives you fairly good results directly out of LDD.

What I would really like however is more control over the building guide process, for example by using groups to direct the generation algorithm.

[Vincent Kessels]

There is a pretty good one here: https://sites.google.com/site/workingwithlpub/

That's pretty good. Thanks for the tip.

[blackkaky]

hello!! Very interesting discussion glad that I came across such informative post. Keep up the good work friend.